Long Beach must encourage artists who challenge us: Letters

The amazing part of Long Beach is the local talent, whether it’s in music, theater, writing or visual art. Unfortunately, many of these geniuses relocate because Long Beach isn’t offering a big enough green light to grow. Sometimes city politics and ordinances constrain amazing events and festivals. Other times, the problem stems from political officials not recognizing true talent, thus rewarding boring cookie-cutter art with grant money.

True artists are trying to change the city through a message, pushing the boundaries of art, not creating boring yet accessible art for the sake of a paycheck. Art that challenges us needs to be recognized by people of power, and funded. The city needs to fund murals that speak to our souls and avant-garde sculptures, not art you’d find in the Irvine Mall. A renaissance could be waiting around the corner.

— David Van Patten, Long Beach

Mankind’s impact on climate is insignificant

Re “Stick to science when discussing climate change” (May 20):

Yes, climate change has been going on during the entire evolution of the Earth. However, mankind’s effect on weather is so slight that it is immeasurable. This is according to honorable scientists, those who will not alter their findings to fit political agendas in return for plush assignments, notoriety, prestige or other benefits.

Greed and megalomania abound among the politics of pseudo-environmentalists. Why did the promoters of “global warming” change their slogan to “climate change”? Obviously so that regardless of what weather we experience, they can propagandize, charging any imaginable natural phenomena to be the fault of productive members of society.

And yes, the Earth has been warming for the past 10,000 years, beginning during the final centuries of the most recent Ice Age. And yes, during the Viking era the Earth was warmer than in recent centuries. Don’t forget the global cooling of the “Little Ice Age” (1550-1850) that included the years of the American Revolution. Climate change will occur whether humans are here or not. Oh yes, the primary and most active “greenhouse gas” is water vapor, not CO2 (which is both naturally occurring and so miniscule as to have negligible effect on weather).

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Meanwhile, the environmental scammers (Al Gore and Co.), using government as enforcers, reap billions in ripping off the public, commerce and industry.

— A. Benton Edmons, Bellflower

First Amendment should protect Donald Sterling

It’s time to end the witch hunt over Clippers owner Donald Sterling. The whole idea that a comment made in private can be turned into an excuse to launch a lynch-mob-style hysteria ought to be repugnant in a free country. The entire affair is right out of some totalitarian police state.

Are we to repeal the First Amendment and replace it with commissariats which will examine all statements before they are allowed to be made and consign politically incorrect speakers to a new version of the Gulag? There’s a long history of this sort of liberal intolerance.

Sterling supported liberal causes, but this was not enough to save him. It’s unfortunate the media is joining the pack instead of defending free speech.

Do you really want to live in a society where an off-hand remark can be turned into an excuse for a witch hunt? What is next? So-called “hate speech” laws that will criminalize citizens who dare dissent against prevailing liberal policies?